Sealant strip installing machine

ABSTRACT

A sealant strip installing machine including a strip-installing disc keyed to a common axle and a pair of smaller diameter machine support and disc-driving wheels similarly keyed to the common axle to cause linear compression or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;stuffing back&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; of resilient strip material contactable with the installing disc and a pair of discs, one on each side of the installing disc, to prevent the strip material from twisting as it is forced into slots in a concrete roadway. The machine may also include means for lowering and raising the machine to operable and inoperable positions relative to a joint to be sealed.

United States Patent [72] Inventor RobertJ.Johnson 3,364,828 1/1968 Shope Timonium, Md. (6720 Whitestone Road, 3,368,465 2/ 1968 Tonjes............... Baltimore, Md. 21207) 3,466,988 9/1969 Sharpe [2l] AppLNo. 836,844 2,093,766 9/1937 ggned JMU: 212 Primary Examiner-Jacob L. N ackenoff Attorney-StowelltStowell [54] SEALANT STRIP INSTALLING MACHINE Patented March 16, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT J. JOHNSON ATTORNEY ,Pgrgmdf mmh 1e, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nv W 3 ATTORNEYS.

SEALAN'I STRIP INSTALLING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Installing of sizeable lengths of pavement, particularly for roadways or the like has included use of joints between sections of the pavement to compensate for expansion and contraction ofthe paving material. The joint slot is normally filled and or sealed with such materials as, among others, melted tar or bitumen. The results heretofore have not been satisfactory and the joint seals have not been as effective or as long lasting as desired. While strip material has heretofore been used, it has not been possible in a practical manner to so insert the strip material as to insure long and satisfactory sealing of a joint due in part at least to twisting of the strip, and to an insufficient stuffing or insertion under compression of the material into the slot with adequate spacing from the upper and lower surfaces ofthe pavement.

SUMMARY It is accordingly a principal feature of the present invention to provide a relatively simple machine for so installing a sealant strip in a joint slot in a pavement construction that a highly satisfactory joint seal results, the installation being effected under controlled dimensional considerations. The apparatus includes a strip-installing disc and machine support wheels transversely spaced from the disc and on a common axle therewith. The installing disc has a larger radius than the support wheels and due to the keying of the wheels and disc to the common axle and the radius differential the disc extends into the joint slot to force the strip material into the joint below the pavement surface and at the same time causes a stuffing back or linear compression of the material of the strip to insure satisfactorily tight and secure installation in the slot. A pair of stabilizing discs prevent the strip from twisting as the strip is forced into the joint or slot. The machine feeds and installs a continuous strip of material and incorporates adhesive solvent wetting means. Strip cutoff means are included and machine and strip guide means and strip compression means are provided. Frame raising or lowering means are also included to adjust the installing means to active or inactive positions.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken ta together with the accompanying drawings drawings, in which:

FIG. ll is a side elevational view of the machine shown in an operative strip-installing position with respect to a pavement joint;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the machine of FIG. ll shown in a raised inoperative position.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, there is shown a portion of installed pavement of a known type such as used in roadways and the like. Such pavement may be poured in discrete longitudinal sections separated by joints as at 12 which permit sectionalizing installation of the pavement and, of importance serve as expansion joints in an installed roadway and the like, or the joints i2 may be a sawed therein or otherwise formed, as is well known in the art. Such joints, however formed, must be sealed to prevent material or moisture from gathering and remaining therein with possible deleterious effect on such a roadway. Material used for the sealing can be in the nature of a bituminous substance, compressible material in strip form, or other known types. The present invention is directed to installation of a strip of compressible and resilient sealant material.

The machine comprises a frame generally designated I4, including spaced side frames I6. A central shaft 18 is mounted by the side frames. Pavement surface support wheels 20 are mounted to rotate with shaft 18, and a central installing disc 22 is also mounted to rotate with the shaft intermediate the wheels. Preferably the wheels 20 are rubber surfaced as at 21 to provide the necessary frictional engagement between the Wheels and the ground to drive the disc as it tucks the sealing strip lin the concrete joint. The wheels and disc are therefore coaxial and rotate with such common shaft. Since the disc has a radius slightly greater than that of the wheels, when installing the sealant strip 24 in the joint, shown with clarity in FIGS. l and 2, the strip is rectilinearly compressed or shortened by an automatic stuffing back action of the installing disc against the sealant strip. The thickness of the installing disc is such that it enters into the joint opening, proper allowance being made for the thickness of the material of the strip and compressivevly forces the strip into the joint'slot. The sides of the slot may be prepared prior to installation of the sealant strip by a coating of a suitable adhesive applied to the sidewalls and allowed to dry.

FIG. l shows the machine in a lowered strip installing position whereas FIG. 4 shows the machine in a raised or inoperative position wherein the machine can be readily moved to different areas of use. This feature is accomplished by sets of front wheels 26 and rear wheels 28. Arms 30 are pivotally mounted on the side frames as at 32 and rotatably mount wheels 26 thereon. Wheels 28 are rotatably mounted on arm 34 pivoted at 36 to plates 3S secured to the frame. A handle assembly, generally designated 40, is secured to the rear of the frame and terminates at its upper end with handgrips 42.

A lifting device or mechanism is shown generally at 44 and includes a bottom let'leg 46 pivotally attached to arm 34 through ear 48. A lever 50 is pivotally attached to handle 52 and is pivotally interconnected with leg 46 at 54. Link 56 is pivotally connected at one end to the pivotal connection 54 and at the opposite end to the axle 60 for the front wheels.

The raising and lowering of the machine to positions shown in FIGS. l and 4 is accomplished by manipulating lever 50 through handgrip 62, the raising movement being indicated by arrows shown in FIG. 4i, the motion taking place through the lever linkage system as described. The condition of the machine shown in FIG. l is obtained by reversing the direction of movement of lever 50 into the position shown in FIG. l.

A sealant strip storing and dispensing reel 64 is rotatably mounted on arm member 66 secured to th`e frame in any suita ble' manner. The sealant strip is shown at 24a as being wound on the reel; a portion of retaining and guide discs 64 on the reel being broken away to illustrate the handling of the material. The free end of strip 24 extends downward from the reel through a strip-shearing mechanism, generally designated 68, over a guide wheel 70 into a strip-wetting wheel device 72, which includes spaced discs 74 which confine therebetween a wool or other suitable material wheel 76 grooved to just receive the sealant strip 24 as more clearly shown in FIG. 3. It will be noted that wheel 74) extends into the groove of wetting wheel 72, and is so positioned as to insure proper wetting of strip 24 by the felt 76 of wheel 72. A solvent tank 77 is mounted on the frame by plates 78 or the like, and is adapted to contain a proper solvent for the adhesive applied to the sidewalls of the joint slot. A solvent dispensing nozzle 80 is operatively connected to the tank and has associated therewith a valve 82 to control solvent flow onto the felt 76 of wheel 72. Valve 82 is controlled through cable 84 and handle 86. The strip-shearing mechanism 68, which can consist of any suitable type, is operable through rod 88 and pivotally mounted handle 90 secured thereto. Pointer 92 is so arranged and positioned on the forward end of the frame that when the pointer comes to the end of a joint to be sealed, the shear for the sealant strip is activated, cutting the strip so that the proper length remains to seal to that point.

A pair of small, free-turning stabilizing discs 94 are mounted on shafts 96 secured to the side frames, and positioned on either side of the central installing disc, so that, in operation, these stabilizing discs contact the side portions of the top surface of the sealant strip just as the installing disc starts to push the strip into the joint. The stabilizing discs are as shown located forward and downward from the central shaft supporting the installing disc and clear the sides of the installing disc by a slight amount so that there is no contact between the side discs and the installing disc. These stabilizing discs are only slightly spaced above the pavement surface, and are tangent to the installing disc as the.disc starts to push the strip into the slot. The important function of the pair of stabilizing discs is to prevent the sealant strip from turning or twisting while being pushed into the joint. The relative positions of the various discs is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

A guide wheel 98 is rotatably mounted on the front of the frame and has 45 tapered faces 100, FIG. 1, which ride in the joint slot to give extra guidance during installation of the cornpression strip. A final compression wheel 102, rotatably mounted on plate 104 and positioned just aft of the installing wheel, is adapted to ride in the slot and on top of the installed strip to push it down a desired distance below the pavement surface. In actual practice after this wheel passes over the strip, the strip, due to its resilience will rise to a desired position with respect to the pavement surface.

The installing disc has its periphery notched and the teethlike projections assist in the linear compression or stuffing back.

The lifting mechanism is operable in conjunction with the front wheels 26 and rear wheels 28 to raise the entire frame and thereby the wheels 20, installing disc 22, guide wheel 98 and compression wheel 102 from their engaged positions to permit moving the machine to another joint or location.

Operation is readily apparent from the foregoing description but briefly, after a joint has been prepared for sealing, a coating of suitable adhesive is applied to the sidewalls and allowed to dry. The solvent valve on the machine is then opened by squeezing the handle at the handgrip and thereby saturating the wetting wheel. Sealant strip is then started through the wetting wheel, pushed down between a chute, not shown, and the installing disc, and brought out the bottom of the installing disc. The machine is then ready for use. It is located directly over the adhesive-coated, dried joint, at the position where sealing is to begin. With the solvent valve open, the solvent wetted sealant strip is pushed into the joint by lowering the installing disc, guide wheel and compression wheel, and the machine is then pushed forward to install solvent wetted strip into the complete joint. When the sheared strip has been installed, the machine is backed up a foot or so on top of the strip just installed, and the lifting mechanism raised to bring the installing disc and its pair of wheels above the pavement surface so the machine can be pushed to the next joint.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the novel tucking action is brought about by having the ground-surface-engaging wheels rotate the installing disc and by having the installing disc of a larger diameter than the ground-engaging wheels whereby the periphery of the disc is greater than the wheels. It will thus be seen that the degree of tucking or back stuffing of the strip is proportional to the difference in radii of the driving wheels and the installing disc divided by the radius of driving wheels. Very satisfactory results are obtained when the disc 22 has a diameter approximately l inch greater than the ground engaging wheels 20 thus placing the disc approximately one-half` inch into the joint to be sealed when placing a zft-inch wide sealant strip in a inch to linch wide joint. In the above example the disc 22 was five-sixteenths inch wide and 15%inches in diameter.

The diameter of the installing disc 22 may be from about 18 inches to about l0 inches, with the ground engaging wheels 20 about l inch less than the installing disc.

Manifestly changes in details of construction can be effected in the machine as shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

l claim:

1. A machine for installing a sealant strip in a pavement oint and the like comprising a frame, transversecly spaced surace-engagmg support wheels and an mterme rate strip-1nstalling disc each keyed to a common axle carried by said frame, said installing disc having a larger radius than that of said support wheels and being engageable at its periphery with a sealant strip and insertable in a joint with the strip to force the strip into a joint and simultaneously rectilinearly gather and compress the strip material in the joint, a dispensable sealant strip-containing means, a strip-solvent-wetting wheel in rolling contact with dispensed strip material, an adhesive solvent reservoir, regulatable solvent-flow-dispensing means operatively associated with said reservoir and positioned to direct solvent on said wetting wheel, and an idler roll in engagement with said strip for forcing surface engagement thereof with said wetting wheel and prior to engagement with the periphery of said installing disc.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, and including selectively operable strip-shearing means, a pointer at the front of said a machine, said pointer and said shearing means being so positioned with respect to one another and to a strip being dispersed that as the pointer reaches the end of a joint slot to be filled and the shearing means being actuated a sufficient length of strip remains to fill the joint slot to its end.

3. A machine for installing'a sealant strip in a pavement joint and the like comprising a frame, transversely spaced surface-engaging support wheels and an intermediate strip-installing disc each keyed to a common axle carried by said frame, said installing disc having a larger radius than that of said support wheels and being engageable at its periphery with a sealant strip and insertable in a joint with the strip to force the strip into a joint and simultaneously rectilinearly gather and compress the strip material in the joint, freely rotatable stabilizing discs mounted on said frame on each side of said installing disc on separate axes positioned in front of and below the installing disc axle, said stabilizing disc axes being parallel to the axis of rotation of said installing disc, said stabilizing discs being of smaller diameter than said installing disc, said stabilizing discs being engageable with side portions of the top surface of a strip as the installing disc starts insertion of the strip into the joint, said stabilizing discs being operatively spaced slightly above a pavement surface and the periphery thereof being tangent to that of the installing disc as the latter disc starts to push strip material into a joint, the stabilizing discs preventing turning or twisting of sealant strip while being inserted into a joint, a rotatable guide wheel on said frame positioned in front of and in longitudinal alignment with said installing disc, said guide wheel having tapered side faces in proximity to the periphery thereof, said tapered faces riding in a joint slot during insertion of sealant strip therein to facilitate guidance of a machine with respect to a joint slot.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, including a final strip compression wheel rotatably mounted on said frame behind said installing disc and in longitudinal alignment therewith, said compression wheel being engageable with the top surface of installed strip material in a slot to push the strip down a desired distance below the pavement surface, a frame-lifting and lowering mechanism, said mechanism including pivotally mounted arms at the front and rear of said frame, wheels rotatably journaled on the free ends of said arms and being in contact with the pavement surface, and in a linkage system operable to rotate said arms to thereby raise or lower said frame and the installing disc, stabilizing discs, support wheels, guide wheel and final strip compression wheel therewith to active and inactive positions. 

1. A machine for installing a sealant strip in a pavement joint and the like comprising a frame, transversely spaced surfaceengaging support wheels and an intermediate strip-installing disc each keyed to a common axle carried by said frame, said installing disc having a larger radius than that of said support wheels and being engageable at its periphery with a sealant strip and insertable in a joint with the strip to force the strip into a joint and simultaneously rectilinearly gather and compress the strip material in the joint, a dispensable sealant stripcontaining means, a strip-solvent-wetting wheel in rolling contact with dispensed strip material, an adhesive solvent reservoir, regulatable solvent-flow-dispensing means operatively associated with said reservoir and positioned to direct solvent on said wetting wheel, and an idler roll in engagement with said strip for forcing surface engagement thereof with said wetting wheel and prior to engagement with the periphery of said installing disc.
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, and including selectively operable strip-shearing means, a pointer at the front of said a machine, said pointer and said shearing means being so positioned with respect to one another and to a strip being dispersed that as the pointer reaches the end of a joint slot to be filled and the shearing means being actuated a sufficient length of strip remains to fill the joint slot to its end.
 3. A machine for installing a sealant strip in a pavement joint and the like comprising a frame, transversely spaced surface-engaging support wheels and an intermediate strip-installing disc each keyed to a common axle carried by said frame, said installing disc having a larger radius than that of said support wheels and being engageable at its periphery with a sealant strip and insertable in a joint with the strip to force the strip into a joint and simultaneously rectilinearly gather and compress the strip material in the joint, freely rotatable stabilizing discs mounted on said frame on each side of said installing disc on separate axes positioned in front of and below the installing disc axle, said stabilizing disc axes being parallel to the axis of rotation of said iNstalling disc, said stabilizing discs being of smaller diameter than said installing disc, said stabilizing discs being engageable with side portions of the top surface of a strip as the installing disc starts insertion of the strip into the joint, said stabilizing discs being operatively spaced slightly above a pavement surface and the periphery thereof being tangent to that of the installing disc as the latter disc starts to push strip material into a joint, the stabilizing discs preventing turning or twisting of sealant strip while being inserted into a joint, a rotatable guide wheel on said frame positioned in front of and in longitudinal alignment with said installing disc, said guide wheel having tapered side faces in proximity to the periphery thereof, said tapered faces riding in a joint slot during insertion of sealant strip therein to facilitate guidance of a machine with respect to a joint slot.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, including a final strip compression wheel rotatably mounted on said frame behind said installing disc and in longitudinal alignment therewith, said compression wheel being engageable with the top surface of installed strip material in a slot to push the strip down a desired distance below the pavement surface, a frame-lifting and lowering mechanism, said mechanism including pivotally mounted arms at the front and rear of said frame, wheels rotatably journaled on the free ends of said arms and being in contact with the pavement surface, and in a linkage system operable to rotate said arms to thereby raise or lower said frame and the installing disc, stabilizing discs, support wheels, guide wheel and final strip compression wheel therewith to active and inactive positions. 